Hitchcocks Forum

Just put the 2008 Electra X on the road yesterday and have done a couple of hard runs. Two things have surfaced:
1. When hot, at lights or a junction, the tickover slows and then unless I blip the throttle, on some occasions has died completely. It has hosts 50s style pipe, Amal Mk1, airbox removed and intakes blocked. Running a bit rich on the plug but needle adjustment should solve that - this dying of the ignition seems a separate issue - any thoughts as I am new to this model. It starts easily enough from cold and ticksover fine when cold.
2. On start the clutch is fine - after a hard run and when it is hot in traffic gear selection is harsh and neutral difficult. Is this a feature of this model? My 4 speed classic is smooth as butter and unaffected by heat - odd because those boxes and clutches usually get a good kicking!

You Said Air Box Removed...My Amal had a K&N Type filter..& I washed/Cleaned it Probably for the 1st Time in its life..Now my AVL350 (Electra Engine) Ticks over like Clock Work with out any adjustment..Just to Say SOMETIMES its the simple things we Over Look "Like Air Leaks" or Blocked Petrol Pipes which is the Problem.

Thanks good point. The bike flies along now that it breathes properly and with an open pipe and 32mm Amal, easily hitting 75mph. So fuelling is not an issue. It is more the regulation of ignition at tickover when the bike is hot, ie after 35 hard running miles then hitting lights, tickover drops and it will stall unless blipped. Still scratching my head on that one and hopefully someone can shed some light!

The five speed box is usually sweet but it DOES get a bit notchy and unpleasant if the clutch or clutch cable need adjusting.



I take it you have already referred to the Mk1 concentric tuning notes in our hosts' technical section, if you have I'll shut up now!



A.

Carb getting hot? Thicker tufnol spacer may help..

Flying kites



You said it dies. Does it "dot" or "daw"? That's the noise it makes. A "dot" is is when it goes "thumpity thumpity dot" - dead and a "daw " is when it goes thumpity thumpity daw thump doooooor cof daw" - dead.

Dot is ignition/electrics, daw is fuel/carb.



For electrics check points and plug. Points have a way of closing them selves, Murphy's Law.

For fuelling you have to go though the whole works. Do check you have petrol getting through. The stuff that's been altered from standard.



Cuts out when hot but not cold. Cold wants a rich idle mix which could be too rich when hot. Set carb idle when hot. The air filter shouldn't make much difference at idle because it doesn't suck much air then. When it's cold you have flooded the float bowl, it's full but when hot you've been emptying the bowl and maybe it's not refilling well, check traps for blockage.

Diagnostic idea. Next time it tries to die try giving the float a half tickle (left hand over to blip throttle). If it then picks up look to the float bowl, float jammed and/or blocked float needle valve.

Thanks. Just done another 60 hard miles and plug chop was sooty. This is with the PAV blanked out, hosts open pipe with baffle out, Amal Mk1 carb (new) - will check needle setting next week - and air filter removed and running mid-length bellmouth. It shifts along when running but is a right bugger to start. New NGK plug as well. I reset pilot and tickoever as per general guidance. It is just dying, which makes me think electrics, but a sooted up plug and just far too rich might be the simple simon cause. I am off to the Scottish islands next week on the utterly reliable easy to start 4 speed classic and will leave the road burning leanburn for another day!